1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera having an automatic focusing means which can be driven to focus a photographing lens on an object and a photographing means for photographing the object upon depression of a release button.
2. Related Background Art
In cameras of this type, a camera which can select two automatic focusing modes, as described in Japanese Patent Publication (examined) No. 41331/1985 (Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No. 1024/1981), is known.
A first automatic focusing mode is a focusing priority mode. In this mode, as long as a photographing lens is not moved to position at which the photographing lens is focused on an object (to be referred to as an in-focus position hereinafter) by the automatic focusing means, the operation of the photographing means responsive to the depression of the release button is inhibited. In the photographing operation in this mode, a focusing error can be prevented.
A second automatic focusing mode is a photographing priority mode. In this mode, even if the photographing lens has not yet reached the in-focus position, the operation of the photographing means is allowed upon depression of the release button. In the photographing operation in this mode, a photographing opportunity is not lost.
The selection of the above-mentioned automatic focusing modes is achieved by a switching operation of a special-purpose actuator.
In the conventional automatic focusing camera, a user must confirm the currently selected mode, and must check whether the currently selected mode is suitable for an object to be photographed. If the camera is used in a wrong mode without this check, the user may lose a good photographing opportunity. For example, if an object moves unreproducibly, the photographing operation should be carried out despite a slight defocus state. Therefore, the photographing priority mode must be selected. However, in this case, when the focusing priority mode is erroneously selected, even if the release button is immediately depressed at a good photographing opportunity, the photographing operation is inhibited in the defocus state, and the opportunity is lost.
If the kind of objects to be photographed changes frequently among still lifes and moving bodies, the automatic focusing modes should be frequently switched depending on an object to be photographed. However, the camera is usually used continuously in either mode due to the cumbersome switching operation.